Are you looking to get healthy this Fall? Committing to healthy habits, such as improving your diet and mental health, can lead to a better quality of life, but where do you start? To make it simple, Michelle from Recovery Pride put together a list of some of the best health strategies that anyone can easily incorporate into everyday life. Keep reading to discover the secrets to living a healthy and happy life.
5 Daily Habits to Stay Happy & Healthy
Start with Your Stomach
This may come as a surprise, but good health begins with what you put into your body. More than exercise, a healthy diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, prevent chronic disease, and even lead to better mental health. You can clean up your diet by removing sugar, gluten, and processed foods, all of which can impact your gut. Gut health is important and has been linked to a variety of issues. Improving yours by taking probiotics and incorporating fermented foods like yogurt, pickled veggies, and sauerkraut can lead to better overall wellness. Take things a step further by working with a Naturopath to help get your body and digestion in balance.
Add an Exercise Routine
It is true that diet can impact your health more than exercise, but you still need to stay active to stay healthy. Aside from supporting muscle mass that helps you burn fat and avoid falls, exercise is also vital for the production of endorphins. These “happy chemicals” are what keep you feeling your best. However, the benefits of exercise do not stop there! You will also end up with more energy and should see a boost in your sleep quality. Try these workouts to begin your fitness routine, then work on adding some yoga and strength training to improve your flexibility.
Spend Some Time Outside
For an added boost of health, try taking your workouts or healthy meals outside. Studies show that spending time outside significantly improves your overall health in a variety of ways. Taking a stroll through a forest, for example, can diminish inflammation in your body, boost your memory, and help prevent cancer. So, make some time to take a hike on a local trail or explore a national park. As an added bonus, hiking with a backpack can torch over 300 calories each hour! That makes hiking an effective and fun workout that will help keep you fit and healthy.
Connect with Positive People
Social connection can play a part in your health in several important ways, including helping you feel affirmed, rewarded, and part of a collective group. Loneliness as a result of a lack of these connections has been linked to high blood pressure, poor sleep, and mental health issues. So, make sure you leave time to stay connected with people who bring positivity into your life. Schedule a weekly lunch date with your best friend, some quality time with your partner, or holidays with family. If you need to meet some new people, you can find a connection through exercise classes, meet-ups, or even volunteer work.
Care for Your Mental Health
Too often, we focus so many of our health habits on our bodies. Mental health, however, can be even more important than physical health when it comes to overall wellness and happiness. Struggles with mental health are common in adults and can lead to some very real health consequences. Chronic disease may be more prevalent, and pain from arthritis or other conditions is worsened. That’s why you need to make your mental health a priority. You can treat your mental health with medications, counseling, or a combination of both. For routine maintenance, be sure to make time for self-care and stress relief.
Staying healthy requires more than diet and exercise, although those steps are important. If you truly want to achieve overall wellness, you need to start by overhauling your daily habits. Making health the focus of your daily routine could be the key to looking your best, feeling better, and leading a truly happy and fulfilled life.
